


All Time Love

by andersonblaines



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, First Meetings, M/M, New York City, Older Blaine, Older Kurt, Piano Bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-24
Updated: 2015-07-24
Packaged: 2018-04-11 01:27:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4415816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andersonblaines/pseuds/andersonblaines
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At 39, Blaine is lonely. At 38, Kurt is too. {A story of a piano bar, a guy named Ron and a song.}</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Time Love

**Author's Note:**

> The song 'All Time Love' by Will Young is the sole inspiration for this fic. It was on repeat at work today and I spent most of my shift planning this. Give it a listen, it's very beautiful and describes Blaine perfectly in this story. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m2BT-aDBxU

The snow is just starting to fall from the sky when Blaine closes the door of his apartment building. He’s been here for a little over six months, and this is his first snowfall. He could get the subway to the bar, but the snow’s not heavy and he likes it. Snow has always made him feel warm inside. Maybe it’s the whole Christmas association, the idea of family and love.

 

Love… Blaine’s been single for about three years now. This is something he tries very hard to ignore but inevitably fails every time. He’s got a stable job that pays well, a good bunch of friends and he owns a flat in a nice neighbourhood in New York City. There’s just no one to share it with. At 39, his life is passing by quickly.

 

Snow lands on the tip of his nose and he brushes it off, taking a deep breath to steady his thoughts. These days, it seems like there’s a constant knot in his stomach, made up of all the things he wishes he had done differently. It’s growing every day that he’s alone in his apartment, with no one to talk to and no one to hold at night. People always said it but he never realized how true it was – New York City is full of people but it can feel like the loneliest place on earth.

 

A few blocks pass by, a few couples here and there, some shops closing up for the night. It’s about six in the evening so Blaine’s playing earlier than his usual slot, but he has a feeling that after a few songs, he’ll be too drained to carry on. It’s easier for him to get himself together if he leaves early. Late night depression keeps him up all night, keeps him antsy but too lethargic to do anything.

 

It’s a great life.

 

**

 

Blaine arrives at half past six, smiles widely at the owner. Ron’s about the same age as him, and they met when Blaine first moved here. It’s a quaint little piano bar, and Ron was very enthusiastic in letting him rekindle his old love for the keys - before his first gig here, he hadn’t performed in public for at least ten years. A failed music career and a low-paid, pretty awful tutoring job left the piano nothing more than an ugly reminder of everything he couldn’t do. Everything Blaine plays here is free – he refuses to accept any form of payment from Ron, it could all go wrong then. The knot in his stomach grows a bit more. He stares wistfully at the stage until he’s interrupted.

 

“You’re early!” Ron shouts playfully.

 

“I am indeed. I didn’t really want to play later. Is that a problem?”

 

Ron waves his hand in the air. “Never a problem here, Blaine.” The owner waves some papers at him from behind the bar. “Good job I printed your set list early then!”

 

“Thanks Ron, but I’m not going to play that tonight. I’m feeling in the mood for something different. Is that okay?”

 

Ron smiles at him. “Absolutely, Blaine. Play what your heart feels.”

 

A strange sort of friendship has developed between the two of them. Sometimes Blaine turns up in the late hours of the night, wanting nothing more than copious amounts of alcohol and someone there to make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid because of his feelings. Ron seems to understand, and for that, Blaine is eternally grateful.

 

He takes a swig of whisky and heads onto the stage, his fingers feeling numb.

 

“Hi there, everyone. I’m not going to talk much tonight, I’m just going to play. Actually, I’m just going to play one song.” He glances at Ron, who looks rather worried. Blaine nods at him, brushes his fingers along the keys. “I heard this song a few years ago and it’s never left me. You probably won’t know it, but it means a lot to me.”

 

He takes a deep breath in, and plays.

 

**

 

At that exact moment, Kurt Hummel is walking past the bar that Blaine is playing in. He’s cold and the snow is ruining his hair and his blazer, so he ducks into the closest cosy place he can see. He pushes the door open and immediately turns to the stage. A man with dark curly hair is playing the opening lines to a song. From what Kurt can see, the bar is pretty dead. He grabs a stool near the stage and pulls his scarf off just as the performer sings the first line.

 

**

 

_Sometimes you walk by the good ones 'Cause you're trying too hard, too hard to see them And sometimes you don't find the right lines 'Cause you're trying too hard, too hard to hear them_

_But you know what it feels like 'Cause you're like me And you won't give up 'Till an all time love 'Cause nothing else is good enough I want an all time love to find me_

**

 

Blaine hasn’t looked at the crowd, or lack of, since he walked in. Some nights he plays off them, and other nights, like tonight, their presence means nothing. He’s singing this song because he hurts inside and he’s lonely and he wants something tangible to express it. This song has been on repeat for a while now; he could play it in his sleep.

 

He’s never played it to an audience before. He finishes the line, and looks to the seating area.

 

**

 

Kurt is completely enthralled by this guy. He’s singing a song that Kurt has never heard before, it could be an original for all he knows. What is really moving is the emotion in the man’s voice. It’s like this song is everything the guy feels in the form of music and lyrics.

 

For the first time since he started, the performer looks his way. Kurt doesn’t catch the guy’s eye but he smiles anyway. Tears are welling and Kurt feels like an idiot. He only came in here to escape the snow and save his new blazer.

 

But, when he thinks about it, it has been a rough week; Rachel’s been a moaning bore, but then having two kids will do that to you. His job is fine, but it’s nothing more. As for his love life, there isn’t one. There’s hook-ups and fumbling and guys he likes that don’t like him back, but there’s absolutely no connection or solid relationship. The lyrics, now that he’s listening, are very fitting.

 

**

 

There’s a man sitting at the front of the bar and a few people dotted around the back, but no one else. Blaine’s not here for them. He just wants to finish the song and leave. He shouldn’t have come.

 

**

 

The song is finishing up, and the guy looks … something. Kurt can’t place it, but he’s not enjoying himself up there. It actually looks kind of painful.

 

**

 

Blaine plays the final note and stands up. There’s applause and he can hear Ron whooping, but he doesn’t want to be here anymore. He shouldn’t have played that song. He just feels tired and alone and that song did nothing but make it worse.

 

He glances at Ron and finds him talking to the man who was sat at the front. That means a quick escape, no questions asked – exactly what Blaine needs. He needs to be home, in his bed. Maybe he needs to be somewhere else. Or maybe he needs to be nowhere at all.

 

**

 

Kurt saw the man behind the bar whooping for the singer, and so he heads that way whilst others are clapping.

 

“Hey, I’m guessing you know him?” Kurt says, motioning to the performer who is stood now.

 

The man chuckles. “Yes, I do. He’s great, right?”

 

“Absolutely. What’s his name?”

 

“Oh, that’s Blaine. Why do you ask?”

 

Kurt smiles at the ground. “No reason, really. I just wanted to tell him how good he was.”

 

“Okay.” The man pauses. “I’m Ron.”

 

Kurt offers his hand, which Ron shakes. “Kurt.”

 

“Maybe I’ll see you again.”

 

“Maybe,” Kurt says wistfully.

 

**

 

Blaine got out of the bar quicker than he ever has before. He wants to get the subway to avoid the slushy weather, but that involves people, and he doesn’t need that right now.

 

Someone yells “excuse me!” behind him, and he turns and sees a young girl being reunited with her fallen teddy bear. He smiles despite himself, but the mood still sticks.

 

**

 

After he’s finished chatting with Ron, Kurt turns to find the stage empty and the man nowhere in sight.

 

“Where’d he go?”

 

Ron shrugs. “Probably home. He wasn’t doing too great, I could tell.”

 

Kurt spins around and looks at the door. “Should I go after him?”

 

“Well, you could. He lives that way,” Ron says, pointing to the left. “But I’ll ring him soon to make sure he’s okay, so you’re fine to leave.”

 

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him, I just wanted to tell him how good he was. He didn’t seem like he knew that.”

 

“Do what you want, mister. I can’t tell you.”

 

Kurt debates in his head quickly, then pushes the door open. What has he got to lose?

 

He passes a girl holding a very muddy teddy bear, but he can’t see Blaine anywhere.

 

**

 

Blaine has his phone in hand, wondering if he should call someone. Maybe his brother. Cooper’s always been good with this sort of thing, he’ll talk him down on the phone and make sure he’s okay. Maybe he’ll even come and stay with him.

 

Does he want that?

 

Just then, his phone starts ringing with Ron’s name on the screen. He stops, stands at the side of the busy sidewalk.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Blaine, stop. There’s a man looking for you.”

 

“What? I’m on my way home.”

 

“Yes, I know that. But just wait a few minutes, he wants to talk to you.”

 

“Ron,” Blaine trails. “I don’t want to talk to anyone. I just want to sleep.”

 

“I know you do. But please, trust me. He’s a nice man. He means no harm.”

 

Blaine sighs. “Okay. Whatever you say.” He hangs up and turns to face the way he just came.

 

**

 

Kurt’s bored of walking now. He must have missed Blaine.

 

He stops in his tracks, breathes in and out. He spins around and there, up ahead, is Blaine. He’s stood staring at Kurt.

 

**

 

_Some days you're too set in your ways_

_And you forget to shut up, shut up and listen_

_So stop lying that you're fine 'Cause you're like me And you can't give up_

_‘Till an all time love_

**

 

It’s the man from the bar, the guy who was distracting Ron when he snuck out.

 

“Blaine!” the guy yells, stumbling towards him, out of breath.

 

Blaine just stands silently. He’s letting his man do all the explaining.

 

“I’m Kurt. I watched you sing that song, and I wanted to tell you how good you were, but then I turned around and you were gone.”

 

Blaine stares.

 

“So, here I am, telling you. You were amazing up there. I mean that.”

 

“Thanks,” Blaine mutters, then walks towards his apartment building once more. From behind him, Kurt yells “wait!”

 

“What now?”

 

“That’s it? I follow a complete stranger all this way to pay them a compliment and all I get is ‘thanks’?”

 

Blaine breathes out deeply. “I’m sorry. Thank you very much for your kind words, Kurt. Would you like me to pay you for your time?”

 

Kurt scrunches his face up. “Okay, asshole. Forget I said anything.” With that, he turns around.

 

Blaine stamps his foot and clenches his fists. _Pull yourself together. He did nothing wrong._

“Kurt.”

 

He carries on walking, even though the sidewalk is as silent as a New York City sidewalk can be. Blaine jogs up next to him and spins him round by the shoulders.

 

“Kurt. Hi. I’m sorry I said that, that wasn’t me talking. I’m just not the happiest of people right now and when I get sad, I get rude and mean. So I apologize. Thank you for your kind words.”

 

Kurt shrugs his shoulders and turns away.

 

“What now? Did I not say enough?” Blaine steps back, stares down at the ground.

 

Suddenly, there’s laughter next to him. “Relax, Blaine! I was joking with you.”

 

“Oh,” Blaine mutters. “Right.”

 

“You okay?”

 

Blaine looks at this guy for the first time. He must be close to Blaine’s age, with brown hair swept away from his face and freckles that are pretty darn cute. His eyes are a strong, enticing blue and he’s dressed impeccably well.

 

He looks at this guy and he thinks of the song, and he replies.

 

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

 

**

 

Blaine’s stood right in front of Kurt and he’s barely said anything, but Kurt can tell that he’s feeling pretty awful.

 

The attractiveness of him is not lost on Kurt at all. He just needs to keep him smiling for the time being.

 

“Don’t lie, Blaine. I know you’re not fine. That song was very sad and you’re equally very sad.”

 

Blaine scoffs. “You’ve known me for literally three minutes.”

 

“What? That’s plenty of time for my Blaine-dar to detect feelings of unhappiness.”

 

**

 

All credit to Kurt, he certainly knows how to make Blaine smile.

 

**

 

In a moment of pure unadulterated spontaneity, Kurt says, “let’s do something.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“I don’t know. But the night is young and we have the most exciting city on Earth to ourselves.”

 

“Hardly, there are millions of other people here.”

 

“Irrelevant.”

 

“Okay… I just want to sleep.”

 

“You can sleep when you’re dead, monsieur!”

 

“Whatever. I barely know you. In fact, I don’t know you at all.”

 

“Also completely irrelevant. Total honesty here: I’m not a serial killer or a rapist and I’m not gonna steal your stuff.”

 

Blaine laughs, and Kurt smiles. He wants to keep making Blaine laugh, and oh, where did that thought come from?

 

“So, Blaine singer-slash-piano-player, what d’ya say?”

 

**

 

In a moment of madness of the best kind, Blaine says yes.

 

 

 


End file.
